Breaking barriers: Maasai women join grazing committees for the first time

After celebrating the recent achievements of Maasai women with the Nolasiti grass seed bank, we’re excited to share another amazing milestone!  For the first time ever, Maasai women in Arusha are stepping into grazing and environmental committees—roles historically held only by men. It’s a bold and inspiring development, breaking barriers and paving the way for greater inclusivity.

This exciting progress comes through the Erbacher program (Regreening Arusha), which we’re implementing with LEAD Foundation. During our evaluation in November, we spoke with farmers, village leaders, grazing committees, and youth, and the findings were eye-opening. Members of the all-male grazing committees suggested that women should join, recognising their vital role in managing grazing and advancing environmental efforts.

And it’s not just the women making waves—youth are stepping up too. Many expressed their enthusiasm to become champion farmers and join environmental committees, showing how invested they are in shaping their future and driving regreening efforts.

Even more exciting? Participants pledged to increase treecovery trees tenfold, calling treecovery the most effective approach for tree restoration in this region.

This shift is more than just a win for women and youth; it’s a game-changer for community-led environmental restoration. Together, we’re proving that when everyone has a seat at the table, amazing things happen!